As our parents and grandparents get older, this senior citizen driver will need to take on a whole new role to stay mobile.  It isn’t easy to see our loved ones lose their independence, since most likely the majority of senior drivers have been driving for over fifty-five years.  When do we need to say when to our older family members?  Who should approach the senior driver? What can we do to keep everyone safe on the road?  There are at least five steps that we can focus on for senior driver improvement.

When is it time to talk to the senior driver?

Talking about driver safety to a senior driver can be a very sensitive subject.  Not only are they dealing with the normal signs of aging, but the thought of losing their independence of being mobile is a hard concept to grasp and eventually will interfere with the ability to drive.  Because everyone ages differently, some seniors are coherent to drive well into their late 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s, while others are not.

The sooner you can talk to your parent/grandparent about safe driving the better.  Sit down and talk to them when they are at an age where their minds are clear to discuss the topic without hurt or anger.  Let them know that you want to discuss this topic early while there is no problem.

What are some signs that you should know that your senior driver should use other ways to stay transportable?

Some factors that would run risk to your senior driver would be visual decline, hearing loss, medications, decreased reaction time and limited mobility.  If you see changes like these from your loved one this is especially important to discuss right away.

If you noticed that there are problems on the road like not signaling when changing lanes, constant breaking or acceleration this could be a sign.  If you noticed there are problem with reflexes or confusing the break and gas pedal, this could be a sign.  Also, if you noticed trouble with memory where they get easily lost or forgot where they are at is another sign to recognize. What becomes even more of a problem is when they are experiencing frequent “close calls,” whether it may be crashes, dents, hitting curbs, etc. Finally, another sign to think about are growing number of citations or even warnings from police officers.

Where can we find other methods for our parents to stay mobile and be independent?

When it comes for the time to take the keys away from your sweet Grammy, make her feel confident and let her know that she still has the ability to be independent.  By discussing in advance, you already should have some people in place to pick-up and drop-off Grammy.  There is public transportation, even specialized transit for seniors, another method are community shuttles.  You can also encourage Grammy to make purchases online to reduce driving on the roads. These are just a few recommendations to offer in advance to your senior driver in order to make him/her stay mobile without having a car.

Who should be the family member elected for the discussion?

To start a positive experience with your senior driver is to determine who needs to start this discussion with in your family. Older adults typically prefer to speak in confidence about driving safely with someone they trust.  A candid or authoritative family member may not be the ideal person to start early discussions on driving, but may better serve as the implementer of driving decisions later on, if needed.

Why should we maintain refresher courses?

Providing refresher courses will strengthen the safety of your senior driver.  Classroom courses designed for senior drivers will help them sharpen their driving skills, avoid accidents and reduce traffic violations.

By using these five tips, you are now on the “road” to keep your sweet Grammy safe and encouraging her focus on the safety of others as well. Remember to start the conversation early, figure out who would be the best candidate to start this discussion with your senior driver, what are the signs when to take away their keys, offer alternative choices to stay mobile and remember to take refresher classes to keep everyone on the roads safe.

There are many sites by keeping your senior citizen driver safe on the road.  Safety first should be a priority in everyone’s family.